The Magazine : FIRST EDITION

 

 

INTRODUCTION 

Destiny plays a major role in who we become but destiny does not play alone. An orphaned slave girl became the queen of the biggest empire in her time. It took, readiness, sacrifice, preparation, humility, Faith and determination that qualified her being chosen.  Every lady is a queen. We all have our different scars that carved us into different shapes and sizes. We all come In the-same way but we don’t leave the same way. These stories are meant to inspire every lady to pick up the rocks that life, humanity, environment, relationships, systems stormed at her and build a mansion for her generation following.

Queens narrate is a bi yearly magazine that accommodates the story of every black lady who is bold enough to make a meaning out of another black girls struggle by letting her know the process is necessary and the glory is sure. It will carry the stories of strong ladies whom the world might consider as lucky but will be thrilled to know the mud they had to dig through to find their diamond light, that’s shining so bright. Queens build shoulders strong enough to carry many heads as possible.

GOOD NEWS IS; your story can be the next to ignite a glow ray of light and inspire another souls mighty come back.

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STORIES THAT HEAL

At the age of 16, I left my familiar environment of home, family, and friends to continue my educational ladder in Europe. An amazing opportunity that every young Cameroonian girl would desire as studying abroad or living abroad is greatly esteemed and celebrated in Cameroon. Was I excited? Yes! Somewhat. Throughout my adolescent life, I desired to live on my own but never really considered the consequences of such a huge step, talk less of the intricacies of living in a completely new society. Well, you can say I was naive and the truth is, I was. Advised, blessed by several well-wishers, prayed upon, and anointed with multiple bottles of olive oil (that’s how it goes when you come from a Strong Christian-evangelical background) I set off in confidence. Few weeks into my new life, the reality of this drastic change began to hit me. The language was obviously different, the people in my new environment weren’t as friendly as I expected, the format for study in my new institution was very very different and not to mention the challenge of keeping up with my laundry, feeding, and all the other domestic stuff which I wasn’t accustomed to doing. Most of all, I noticed that from time to time some people in the streets looked at me with faces of disgust, like something about me displeased them, it always puzzled me. For the first time in my life, I realized that I was a black African girl with curly black hair. For the first time, I realized that I was different. I know this may sound crazy but the truth is I had always lived in a society where more than 90% of the people looked like me, with beautiful dark or brown skin and gorgeous curly hair. But here I was in this foreign environment where my being seems to be an irritant for some people. This indeed marked the beginning of my experience with Racism in Europe. Racism is a reality that nothing can prepare you for, a reality that isn’t talked about enough especially by Africans studying or pursuing a career abroad. Racism is a type of rejection that cuts deep into the core of your soul. Racism says, “I hate you just because of your skin tone or hair texture, your entire being is not worthy of being here because of your skin color”

We studied in groups of approximately 12 students with the majority being whites (Caucasian) and just 4 of us were of African and Asian descent in my group. I can’t help but remember how some of my university professors gave these white (Caucasian) students preferential treatment, they got study materials first, they got a better mark whether or not they were prepared for the class, they were given the chance to participate in practicals first, if they had a complain, it was immediately addressed, they always sat together in the front of the class while the rest of us were shown the back seat. Outside of the four walls of the university wasn’t any better, on several occasions in the streets I had people yell at me “Go back to your country” fingers ran through my hair on buses and trains without my permission, called “Nigga” several times that I lost count. The most recent of these encounters was during the early onset of Covid-19, while walking through the city center on a sunny day wearing my mask, enjoying the cold spring breeze and minding my business, a middle-aged man runs up to me and in several insulting words blamed me for bringing the virus into his country and then went ahead to spit on me twice. It’s worth mentioning that Africa was and is currently the least affected continent by the Coronavirus. So this aggressor’s launch towards me wasn’t even factually based, but just purely racial. I can go on and on with experience after experience but pages will fail me. There were indeed times when I cried and times when I was numb, but most of all what got me through is the foundation of my identity. I was raised by Christian faith-based parents who had done their best to give me the basic tools for life and it was indeed time to put them to use. One of those tools in my toolbox that I will like to share with every young lady is “identity in Christ”. You may wonder “What the hell does that mean and how does it apply”? Well, Lean in! Before you and I are anything, we are creatures made in the image of God. Be it black, white, or brown we are all image-bearers of an all-beautiful and all-wise God, and that is why we have value. Our worth and value doesn’t come from what our fellow ignorant image-bearers think about us but from who our creator is. A God of diversity! who we are is based on who he is not on how society categorizes us. Once I centered my mind on this forever true truth, it progressively became easier to bear the burden of being different. This is an encouragement I will like to give to every lady who comes across this magazine/article; Get to know more about the one who designed your beautiful wide curvy hips, your thick thighs that don’t lie, your gorgeous eyes, your beautiful skin whatever tone you are; Get to know more about your creator because it grounds you in ways that will blow your mind.

To keep a long story short despite all the racial set backs as a black African girl living in Europe, I Aced my program and graduated nearly at the top of my class in the final medical exam with just one of my European colleagues (groupmate) being ahead of me.   

Yes! By the grace of God, I earned my seat at the table and continue to do so in many unfamiliar environments and I hope to create whole new tables for girls like me empowered by an unwavering identity founded in the one who designed every one of us.

This is my story. What is yours?

ATEM PEACE 

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I had my advanced level certificate at age 20. I had to go to the university but for some reasons which I don’t know, I had the faintest idea of what I wanted to study in the university. I was really confused, so I ventured into a lot of things just to keep me busy and also to take care of my self independent of my parents. I learnt to do professional makeup, hair dressing, I learnt manicure and in like a year I survived with the little income I made from all the skills I acquired. Just a year after my boyfriend of 4 years proposed to me and I accepted so we decided to get married. A lot of people (family and friends) were concerned about my decision mostly because I was still very young and for other reasons which I really didn’t care at that time. My head was in the clouds, all that mattered to me was finally getting married to the man I loved, starting a family, for the first time in my life I was so sure of what I really wanted. It felt great. February 2018 I got married and we moved to another city and then reality checked in. Being in a strange town, we had to find our way, from paying outrageous amount of rent, to the feeding, transportation, was a whole lot. It was crazy. It was difficult but we still did not learn. With all the difficulties we were facing we still decided to get pregnant. My pregnancy was a really difficult one. For the first few months I was looking really malnourished and pale because I couldn’t keep anything in my stomach due to severe vomiting and nausea my husband felt so frustrated and scared of what my family will think or say if they see me looking like he was not taking good care of me because of the way I looked. However no matter what we faced, he supported me every step of the way. When I didn’t have energy, he will bathe me, he will feed me, he will do just about anything so I can feel better. With all the difficulties, we were still happy together. When it was six months gone, we lost the baby. It was like a dream, I didn’t want to believe it. I really wanted to have that child, the thought of the baby gave us hope, determination, happiness. When we lost the baby, it was the most devastating time of our lives. I couldn’t wish it even to my worst enemy. I had to deliver the dead baby and it was a nightmare. After that experience it was really difficult for me to move on, I cried every single day for months, I didn’t even know what to tell God because I asked myself why he let something like that happen to us. I had too many questions, took me months to actually pray to God as I used to but finally was able when I couldn’t bare it anymore. When I saw my husband drowning because he was in pain and more so because he didn’t know how to help me deal with the trauma. It affected our relationship. I couldn’t continue like that so I tried to pray though all I could do was cry, but I managed to pour out my heart and hurt. I begged him to heal my heart, I told him to help us, to heal our relationship. I made the difficult but conscious decision to work with my husband whenever I could. I helped him at work, I had to contribute and also keep myself busy so I don’t get to think of the loss. It was a gradual but successful healing process. Months later we discovered we were pregnant again, I was over the moon, I was so happy and at the same time I wanted it so much that it scared me. I wondered if the same thing will happen again but I kept my faith and I believed my affliction will not rise the second time. It was another difficult pregnancy. I had a job somewhere which I had to stop two months into the pregnancy because I almost had a miscarriage due to the nature of work. I was put on bed rest, I kept getting sick on and off all through the pregnancy so I was mostly on bed rest. I was terrified I cried most of the time, I begged God to have mercy on me, when I don’t hear the baby kick for like an hour I will just start panicking. My sister who is a midwife was there, thanks to her, she kept on reassuring me. Nine months didn’t take too long and we finally welcomed our rainbow baby girl, we were super excited. Friends and family celebrated with us. It was a miracle. Few months after, the reality of motherhood checked in, it was insane, it is still insane..lol.. raising a child can make one go crazy but it is also an amazing experience in fact it is a bitter sweet experience. With the support of my husband and my family it made it easier for me to raise our adorable KIKI. 

Then I started thinking about my life, what I wanted to do with my life, being a stay at home mom for all these while was and is still driving me crazy. I want to do a lot of things but I can’t because I have a home and a baby to take care of. It can be a very difficult place to be. I would say if I’m still sane till now is because contrary to what other people go through in marriage, where they are jobless and purely dependent on their spouse, I have a man who loves me so much, he provides and takes care of me as if he was born to do so. He doesn’t make me feel less of myself, he doesn’t stop encouraging me and giving me hope, he helps me around the house when he can, he acknowledges how difficult my job is at home and he never stops appreciating me. So in everything  we have been through I am grateful to God for blessing me with an amazing man. We have struggled and we have grown, and we are still surviving. God has been faithful.

This is my story, your story might be different but I want to encourage anyone who experienced the same or maybe worst, YOU ARE A QUEEN AND YOU HAVE IT IN YOU TO RISE ABOVE THE STORMS. DON’T GIVE UP, WITH GOD EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE. Just open your mouth and let him hear you. It shall be well.

YEBBA PROSPER BAMBOT

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Geraldine Forbah is a bi-national young girl. She was born in Nigeria to a Nigerian mom and a Cameroonian dad. She’s the fourth of five girls who are all in to beauty and fashion business with the purpose of bringing spiritual and physical beauty to the whole man. She is a certified Ebook editor, obtained a certificate at UDEMY university where she studied Ebook editing and putting Ebooks together. Apart from editing, she’s a singer, a script writer a beautician and now author of QUEENS NARRATE. With love for Natural beauty, she joined hands with the URSAKE community to ensure that every woman and man inclusive get appropriate knowledge on how to care for your skin, giving you that luminous glow, leaving you with a luscious perspective of yourself. With an ever rising passion for the broken and lost, she’s come up with this emagazine where stories of different brave women are shared to inspire the younger generation take a stand and full control over their lives, being intentional about who and what they become.

A brave Cameroonian lady said, and I quote “ Stories are an essential part of the human experience. They’re a part of how we communicate, learn, and connect with one another. We love to hear other people’s stories, and tell our own. This is no less true in the show business world, where songwriters, musicians, actors, producers, and media personalities all tell a story to connect with their clients. As an artist, I’m a songwriter with a deeply rooted passion for storytelling. I have a whole lot to share with you. Soon and Very soon”  AYEAH LEONETTE

QUEENS NARRATE is a platform that opens up not only to media personalities but to every lady who is not ashamed of her scars but brave enough to show it by telling another sister what caused the scars and how it got healed. 

It is true my journey is not your journey but the road maps of your journey can help me reach my destination in time and vise versa. 

What’s your story?

QUEEN WEAR YOUR CROWN 👑 

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FUN MEMORIES 

Remembering the process

WHEN QUEENS NARRATE MAGAZINE WAS STILL PUSHING 

When Queens narrate was 3days to be published 

My sincere gratitude goes to these ladies who decided to share their stories with us. This is dedicated to you ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Will you like your own story to be shared?? Contact me, let’s impact the world together.

Facebook/Instagram 

Princesserald 

Email

eraldmiayi@yahoo.com

msmentorme@gmail.com

Preview of the next edition 
A space will always be created for adverts, health tips, poetry, and word smith. 

This will forever remain in my heart. This day marks the beginning of My purpose fulfilled on earth.
 #QUEENS NARRATE